Karma
Heart Attack
"Descent" an intensely unpleasant revenge drama
By Stephen Farber
Fri Aug 3, 11:00 am ET
A small subgenre of films has arisen about women who are victims of rape or torture and manage to turn the tables on their assailants.
Two decades ago, Farrah Fawcett played the avenging female in the movie version of "Extremities," and Roman Polanski's "Death and the Maiden" (1994) gave a political slant to the same theme as Sigourney Weaver relished the opportunity to torture her former interrogator, Ben Kingsley.
Last year, Patrick Wilson was a sexual predator who met a grisly comeuppance at the hands of teen avenging angel Ellen Page in "Hard Candy." And now it's Rosario Dawson's turn to get even in "Descent," which had its premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival and is opening in limited release. The grim, repellent tale directed by Talia Lugacy seems unlikely to snare much of an audience.
Dawson plays a college coed, Maya, who meets a handsome jock, Jared (Chat Faust), at a party. She manages to resist his blandishments at first but agrees to have dinner with him later and eventually finds herself in his apartment. While Maya is attracted to him, she tries to call a halt to his sexual advances; he responds by raping her and abusing her verbally with vicious racial slurs.
Then there is a cut to several months later, and this is when the film goes seriously awry. We have no idea whether Maya tried to take legal action against Jared or even whether she confided the details of the attack to friends or counselors. Perhaps she felt she was on shaky ground because she had agreed to visit his apartment, but we have to guess at what went on in her mind; her emotional anguish is unexplored.
One can understand that the film didn't want to take the straightforward approach of the Jodie Foster courtroom drama "The Accused." But Lugacy's elliptical, stylized rendition of the heroine's trauma isn't very satisfying. The dark lighting of much of the movie and the incessant use of pretentious music (including a piano sonata by Schubert) undermine audience involvement.
After time has elapsed, Maya meets Jared again and lures him to her apartment for what he thinks will be a replay of their previous encounter. She seduces him into stripping naked, then blindfolds him, ties him to the bed and exacts a terrible humiliation with the help of Adrian (Marcus Patrick), a bartender who becomes her partner in crime.
These are the only three significant characters in the movie. Patrick's role is completely bewildering and thankless, but Faust and Dawson deliver compelling performances. Dawson conveys Maya's agony, even though the script and direction don't give her much help. The final brutalization of Jared -- somewhat reminiscent of a bizarre scene of Raquel Welch ravishing a stud in "Myra Breckinridge" -- goes on long past the point of any meaningful social or psychological commentary. The film might express a female revenge fantasy, but in the end it's too seamy and sadistic to have any lasting value.
Cast:
Maya: Rosario Dawson
Jared: Chad Faust
Adrian: Marcus Patrick
Director: Talia Lugacy; Screenwriters: Brian Priest, Talia Lugacy; Producers: Morris S. Levy, Rosario Dawson, Talia Lugacy; Executive producers: Danny Fisher, Jack Fisher, Joe Fisher, Gary S. Gumowitz, Michael Almog, Michael Califra, Michael Bassick, Jess Mogul; Directors of photography: Christopher LaVasseur, Jonathan Furmanski; Production designer: Tristam Steinberg; Music: Alex Moulton; Co-producers: Jeff Mazzola, John Scaccia; Costume designer: Amy Ritchings; Editor: Frank Reynolds.
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
QUESTION: what do you think about this supposed film trend? I am a MAJOR fan of the Farrah Fawcett movie "Extremeties", it was one of the most critically acclaimed films of the 80's and she was nominated for a golden globe for it...but i dont think this film (or Death and the Maiden) should be classified as female revenge fantasies...these kinds of things really DO happen to women and thankfully SOME women ARE able to over power and defeat their abusers/attackers. what's wrong with making films about it?
By Stephen Farber
Fri Aug 3, 11:00 am ET
A small subgenre of films has arisen about women who are victims of rape or torture and manage to turn the tables on their assailants.
Two decades ago, Farrah Fawcett played the avenging female in the movie version of "Extremities," and Roman Polanski's "Death and the Maiden" (1994) gave a political slant to the same theme as Sigourney Weaver relished the opportunity to torture her former interrogator, Ben Kingsley.
Last year, Patrick Wilson was a sexual predator who met a grisly comeuppance at the hands of teen avenging angel Ellen Page in "Hard Candy." And now it's Rosario Dawson's turn to get even in "Descent," which had its premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival and is opening in limited release. The grim, repellent tale directed by Talia Lugacy seems unlikely to snare much of an audience.
Dawson plays a college coed, Maya, who meets a handsome jock, Jared (Chat Faust), at a party. She manages to resist his blandishments at first but agrees to have dinner with him later and eventually finds herself in his apartment. While Maya is attracted to him, she tries to call a halt to his sexual advances; he responds by raping her and abusing her verbally with vicious racial slurs.
Then there is a cut to several months later, and this is when the film goes seriously awry. We have no idea whether Maya tried to take legal action against Jared or even whether she confided the details of the attack to friends or counselors. Perhaps she felt she was on shaky ground because she had agreed to visit his apartment, but we have to guess at what went on in her mind; her emotional anguish is unexplored.
One can understand that the film didn't want to take the straightforward approach of the Jodie Foster courtroom drama "The Accused." But Lugacy's elliptical, stylized rendition of the heroine's trauma isn't very satisfying. The dark lighting of much of the movie and the incessant use of pretentious music (including a piano sonata by Schubert) undermine audience involvement.
After time has elapsed, Maya meets Jared again and lures him to her apartment for what he thinks will be a replay of their previous encounter. She seduces him into stripping naked, then blindfolds him, ties him to the bed and exacts a terrible humiliation with the help of Adrian (Marcus Patrick), a bartender who becomes her partner in crime.
These are the only three significant characters in the movie. Patrick's role is completely bewildering and thankless, but Faust and Dawson deliver compelling performances. Dawson conveys Maya's agony, even though the script and direction don't give her much help. The final brutalization of Jared -- somewhat reminiscent of a bizarre scene of Raquel Welch ravishing a stud in "Myra Breckinridge" -- goes on long past the point of any meaningful social or psychological commentary. The film might express a female revenge fantasy, but in the end it's too seamy and sadistic to have any lasting value.
Cast:
Maya: Rosario Dawson
Jared: Chad Faust
Adrian: Marcus Patrick
Director: Talia Lugacy; Screenwriters: Brian Priest, Talia Lugacy; Producers: Morris S. Levy, Rosario Dawson, Talia Lugacy; Executive producers: Danny Fisher, Jack Fisher, Joe Fisher, Gary S. Gumowitz, Michael Almog, Michael Califra, Michael Bassick, Jess Mogul; Directors of photography: Christopher LaVasseur, Jonathan Furmanski; Production designer: Tristam Steinberg; Music: Alex Moulton; Co-producers: Jeff Mazzola, John Scaccia; Costume designer: Amy Ritchings; Editor: Frank Reynolds.
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
QUESTION: what do you think about this supposed film trend? I am a MAJOR fan of the Farrah Fawcett movie "Extremeties", it was one of the most critically acclaimed films of the 80's and she was nominated for a golden globe for it...but i dont think this film (or Death and the Maiden) should be classified as female revenge fantasies...these kinds of things really DO happen to women and thankfully SOME women ARE able to over power and defeat their abusers/attackers. what's wrong with making films about it?
But, I honestly don't have a problem with the film trend. Its quite refreshing to see a woman being victimized and than seeking revenge. If anything it sheds quite a realistic spin on movies, some even based on true events and stories.